The present invention concerns an ejection device for a furniture portion mounted movably in or on a furniture body, comprising an ejector, a drive unit, and a slipping clutch. The slipping clutch is so designed that it uncouples the drive unit and the ejector from each other when a predetermined torque is exceeded.
An ejection device of that kind is to be found, for example, in FIGS. 10 and 11 of AT 413 472 B. The slipping clutch shown therein comprises a spring ring which is enlarged upon an excess loading and which slides over entrainment projections non-rotatably connected to the ejector to be driven, whereby uncoupling of the drive unit and the ejector from each other takes place.
The ejector of the ejection device is pivoted over a limited angular range by the drive unit. To eject the movable furniture portion, the ejector is pivoted in the direction of the movable furniture portion to apply the ejection force thereto. Thereafter, the ejector has to be put back into its starting position again, which is effected by a pivotal movement of the ejector in a direction of rotation which is opposite in relation to the ejection process.
The slipping clutch serves to prevent damage to the drive unit which can be caused by the application of an excessive force to the ejector which is coupled to the drive unit.
By way of example, the movable furniture portion can be pushed into its closed position by a user by a relatively high force before the ejector has moved back into its starting condition. When the movable furniture portion impacts against the ejector, the resulting force impact which is transmitted to the drive unit by way of the ejector can give rise to damage to or indeed destruction of the drive unit.
On the other hand, blocking of the movable furniture portion can occur during the ejection process. In that case there is also the fear of damage to the drive unit if the arrangement does not have an electronic regulating system which switches off the drive unit when a predetermined current strength is exceeded.